How life has changed in Lichfield

Lichfield's population increased by about 7,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 100,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Lichfield increased by 8.0%, from just over 93,200 to 101,000.

The addition of about 7,400 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lichfield was home to, on average, 2.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Lichfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Lichfield increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Lichfield are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Lichfield, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 10.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 23.8%, while the percentage of households in Lichfield which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 47.3% to 40.4%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Lichfield close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Lichfield increased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of self-employment increased in Lichfield, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Lichfield working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.0% to 12.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 12.5% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Lichfield decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Lichfield

The percentage of Lichfield residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 8.1%, while the percentage of Lichfield residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Lichfield

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Lichfield was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.7 points.

In 2011, 24.5% of respondents in Lichfield gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 12.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Lichfield, 73.5% said they were Christian, compared with 86.1% in 2001. About 0.6% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Muslim increased from 0.3% to 0.5%.

In Lichfield, 6.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.6% in 2001. Across the West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Lichfield increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Lichfield

The percentage of single people in Lichfield increased from 23.0% to 27.0% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.9%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 59.6% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Lichfield that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.3% to 10.8%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 28.8% in 2001 to 33.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Lichfield, but at a slower rate than in Cannock Chase (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Lichfield).

In Lichfield, the proportion of private renting increased from 5.5% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Cannock Chase increased from 5.0% to 12.1%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.2% to 14.0%.

The rate of social housing in Lichfield remained close to 13.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 78.9% to 75.6%.

Private renting in Lichfield increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lichfield residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.1% to 5.1% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.1% in 2001. The percentage of Lichfield residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.9% to 13.2%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lichfield decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households in Lichfield without children increased from 58.8% to 60.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.4%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 30.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lichfield with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 11.2%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (which remained close to 59.3%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Lichfield

In 2011, 96.8% of Lichfield residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.1% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 88.7% to 82.7%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.6% of people in Lichfield said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 1.0% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.5%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Lichfield decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Lichfield residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Lichfield remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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